


What's your name, dude?

by MarsMarshall



Series: Trans Jeffrey [1]
Category: The Penderwicks Series - Jeanne Birdsall
Genre: Coming Out, Gen, Lesbian Jane Penderwick, Trans Jeffrey Tifton, ftm character, i am not projecting onto jeffrey at ALL, jane literally goes "oh your trans gener..... thats so cool.....", so does skye :]
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 22:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29616030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarsMarshall/pseuds/MarsMarshall
Summary: An AU where Jeffrey is trans.
Relationships: Jane Penderwick & Jeffrey Tifton
Series: Trans Jeffrey [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175936
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	What's your name, dude?

**Author's Note:**

> the name jillian doesn't mean anything, it's just a good female version of jeffrey :]
> 
> i really wanna write more with trans jeffrey! he is precious and i really like the idea

He opened his window slowly, making sure not to make a loud squeak. He just wanted to get away and really didn’t want to be bothered by his mother right now. Once it was open all the way, he stuck his foot through the window and onto the branch of the tree that was right below it. He gripped the top of the window with his hands and put his other foot through. Soon, he was entirely on the tree branch.

He scooted onto the thicker part of the branch, next to the rope ladder. Looking down at the ground, he noticed that Jane and Skye had just come out to play soccer. Oh, great. He shrunk down, trying to make himself look as small as possible. He wasn’t exactly in the mood for soccer right now. He put his hands in the pockets of his oversized hoodie and leaned his back against the trunk of the tree.

Unfortunately, he must not have been small enough, because Jane pointed at him and said something to Skye before handing her the ball and running over to the base of the tree. “Hey, Jillian! Wanna play soccer with us?”

He flinched at “Jillian”. It wasn’t his name. It was the name everyone called him, but he felt barely any connection to it at all anymore. What was his name, then? “Uh, no, sorry, not really.”

“Oh.” Had Jane noticed him flinch? “Do you just want to talk, then?”

“Sure.”

Jane nodded and turned. “I’m just gonna talk to her for a minute!” Her. What an ugly word. It stung like a hive of bees. A bit reluctantly, Jillian (or whoever he was) let down the rope ladder and clung to the trunk as the branch that he was sitting on started to bend downwards. It swung and swayed as Jane made her way up.

She sat with her legs hanging over the edge and swung them around. Her hands tightly gripped the branch so she didn't fall. "So, Jillian, how are you?"

His mouth seemed to move on its own with no respect for what he actually wanted to say. "I'm not Jillian." Panic spiked in his stomach as he realized what he just said. "I-I mean... I'm fine!" He put his chin on his hand and grinned the widest, stupidest grin he ever had. _I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up I fucked up-_

Jane just laughed. "What do you mean you're not Jillian? Did you introduce yourself with the wrong name or something and just went along with it? Ooh, that would make a good book..."

The panic had settled a little bit, but it was definitely still there. It only rose with what he was about to say. "No, that's not it. I... um... I'm... transgender." He whispered that last word, and as he watched Jane think, wondered if she heard it at all. What would she think? Would she stop talking to him? Would she out him to his mom? He knew she was transphobic. Would she even care at all?

Her ever-friendly voice freed him from his brain. "Oh, well, what's your name?"

"What?"

"What's your name, dude?"

He grinned at the burst of euphoria from being called 'dude' for the first time, well, ever. He thought for a moment before saying, "Jeffrey, but just Jeffrey. Never Jeff for short. That's dumb. Also, are you not... angry, or anything?"

Jane flung her hands up quickly. "No, of course not, Jeffrey! Why would I be angry at you for something you can't control?"

"Oh. I guess that makes sense. Thanks, Jane."

"Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Nope."

"Well, just so you know, I'm sure my family would be fine with it too. I think Daddy's even donated to some LGBT charities."

"Oh, you don't know how good it is to hear that!"

They sat in sweet, sweet silence for a moment before Jane spoke up again. "Hey, since you told me something, can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I like girls."

"Oh, cool." It wasn't exactly what he'd expected, but- no, scratch that, it was exactly what he'd expected.

"And you're not angry?"

Scoffing, he said, "No, of course not! That would be stupid."

She pointed at him and grinned. "Exactly!"

They both laughed loudly. Jeffrey was had been able to forget how awful the body he had been born in was for a second, until he didn't. "Hey, do you think you could help me cut my hair soon?"

"Oh, of course! It'll be so much fun! Do you know what style you want?"

"Wait, there are different-"

He was interrupted by a familiar voice shouting at them from the ground. "Hey guys, are you done talking yet?" It was Skye, her hair messy from running around with the ball on her own.

"Yup!" Jane shouted, and clambered back down the ladder. Jeffrey followed suit, extremely excited about his new name.

Skye gave him a quick wave and said, "Hey, Jillian. Ready to play?"

"It's Jeffrey now!" he said with a grin.

Skye looked incredibly confused for a second. "Huh?" Jane ran over and whispered something in her ear and Skye then nodded in understanding. "Oh, cool. Ready to play, Jeffrey?"

He was so lucky to have such good friends. "You know I am!"

**Author's Note:**

> source: i am a trans guy


End file.
